Crowds of densely packed, barefaced, droplet-swapping Americans are forming on beaches, bar patios and pool decks over the Memorial Day weekend, fulfilling the fears of health experts who warned the nationwide relaxation of restrictions would help the coronavirus spread.
With 1,681,677 cases, the U.S. has so far recorded 99,200 deaths, according to www.worldometers.info.
The most dramatic images came from Missouri – still in the midst of a local epidemic – where vacationers flocked to the Lake of Ozarks, and appearing to ignore social distancing.
“In one picture shared by news station KSDK, dozens of people could be seen crammed on an outdoor patio underneath a sign reading, ‘Please practice social distancing’,” wrote The Washington Post wrote. A nearby bar and grill advertised a pool party for hundreds of people called “Zero Ducks Given.”
Thick crowds were also spotted at beaches along the East Coast, on a weekend when American flags flew at half-staff in memory of the country’s nearly 100,000 confirmed victims of the virus.
In Arkansas, Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) said a recent high school swim party contributed to the state’s “second peak” of infections but still encouraged residents to venture out.
Meanwhile, grocery stores have been accused of suppressing information about outbreaks among their employees.
More than 100 infected workers were discovered at two Walmarts in Massachusetts last month — only after local health officials investigated and tested the entire staff.
Roving bands of unusually aggressive rats have prompted a warning from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Like many other animals, rats have adapted their behaviour in the absence of humans.
